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Materials
Two timber sizes are usually used for timber partitioning, 75mm x 50mm or 100mm x 50mm rough sawn timber (whites). The larger section would be useful if the wall is going to be supporting heavy shelves, or if fixtures will be fastened to it, or if simply a more substantial partition is required. The plasterboard can be either 12.5 mm, or 9.5 mm in thickness.
About setting out
In this tutorial, I will be explaining the procedure of constructing a partition that goes across an existing room, (from wall to wall), without an opening for a doorway. The same partition including a door opening is covered in Section 2, but most of the required information for both types of partition is contained in this first section.
Every partition is made up in the form of a framework. The length of timber that forms the top is called the 'head plate', the one that forms the bottom, the 'sole plate'. The uprights that are fixed between the head and sole plate are the 'studs', which are set out at equal predetermined distances apart. In addition to this, there are what is know as 'noggins', these are short lengths of timber that are fixed horizontally between the uprights, |
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and give stability to the uprights and the partition as a whole, especially when the plasterboard is being fixed. There are two methods used for constructing a partition, either it can be constructed a piece at a time in the position where it will be fixed, or it can be constructed as a unit within the room that it is intended for, and raised and fixed as a unit. For this latter method to be practical, plenty of working space is required. |
Setting Out
The upright members of a partition (Studs) must be set out so that they correspond to the width of the plasterboard panel that will be fastened to them. For this reason, when setting out, one always works to what is known as 'centres', this means that; at the point where two boards meet, will be the centre of an upright. In addition to these main uprights, there are intermediate uprights, which are sub divisions of the width at either 400mm, or 600mm depending on plasterboard thickness used. The noggins are usually set to the centre of the sheet height. |
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Making a Start
When the position of the partition has been decided upon, select a straight length of the timber that will be used as the sole plate, and cut it to the required length. Place it in position on the floor and nail it down, about 150mm from each end, but leave the head of the nails protruding so they can be pulled out again if required. Fix a string line the full length of the sole plate (along one edge) to check for it being straight, and adjust at the centre if required before nailing at the middle, again ensuring that the nail is retractable. Next, measure the length of the head plate, (you may need a helper to do this) and cut to the required length.
Up the Wall
Before the head plate can be fixed in position, the two end upright studs that will be fixed to the walls must first be measured and cut to length, and their position established on the walls by drawing two vertical guidelines up from each end of the sole plate up to ceiling. This is best done with the aid of a spirit level and straight-edge. |
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To help find their correct length, place a short off-cut of the timber that is being used for the studs onto the sole plate near to one wall, and measure up to the ceiling from it, as shown in the illustration here on the left. Do the same at the other end, but do not assume that both will be the same length. These should not be too tight, just tight enough so that when tapped into position, they will trap the head plate in position without damaging the ceiling or bend the uprights. After the two vertical pieces have been cut and their individual lengths checked, preparation can be made for their installation. |
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